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Did a prospective quarterback for the Argonauts let the cat out of the bag?

There has been no official word from the Canadian Football League club on the signing of Chris Malleo, who didn’t disagree with an interviewer on an Arizona radio station recently when he was asked what it felt like to hear “Chris Malleo of the Toronto Argonauts.”

“It sounds pretty cool, I have to be honest with you,” a person identified as Malleo replied. He later said he had signed a “two-year deal with them, with a third year for an option, but I have to go out and prove myself first.”

Malleo’s Twitter account, on which he discussed the move to the Argos, was inactive late on Monday. And a news story on the Copper Football League web site about the alleged signing was taken down.

The Argos could not be reached for comment late on Monday night.

Malleo had been quarterback at Northwestern University, but then switched to linebacker. He reverted back to his old position of quarterback with the Phoenix Outlaws of the Copper Football League. Malleo has thrown for 292 yards and four touchdowns this season.

Malleo will work out with the Argos, who have no quarterbacks under contract after they released Kerry Joseph, Cody Pickett and Stephen Reaves last week. But the Argos have been adamant they will not sign anyone until they have been worked out.

“Originally the team requested that I come (for a workout) was the Calgary Stampeders,” Malleo said. “I went to work out for the Stampeders, not knowing that the VP of player personnel was named the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts.”

That would be Jim Barker, who took over three weeks ago in Toronto.

“He and his staff are going to work rigorously on getting me out there,” Malleo said. “They just released all three of their quarterbacks so it is a good situation to walk into. My ability to run the football helps a lot.”

Among other quarterbacks who could interest the Argos are Drew Tate and Barrick Nealy of the Stampeders, the Buffalo Bills’ Gibran Hamdan (who could be released later this week) and Travis Lulay of the B.C. Lions.